Industry News

BIS: A long-term strategy aimed at helping manufacturers of commercial vehicles & construction equipment move to low carbon solutionshas been published.  The roadmap is the first to be published in Europe with this level of detail & outlines the drivers & timescales of technology development across the sector from delivery vans to bulldozers. These technologies include hybridisation, more efficient powertrains and alternative fuels.
 
The roadmap is the work of the joint industry/government Automotive Council and will be a useful tool in determining research priorities as well as helping vehicle manufacturers & the supply chain draft long-term business plans.
Press release ~ Commercial vehicle and off-highway vehicle roadmap ~ www.automotivecouncil.co.uk
 
BIS: The first round of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) will see an expanded amount of public investment support 50 bids by companies & partnerships who demonstrated how they would create jobs and a high level of private sector-led sustainable economic growth in their local communities over the coming years.
 
The Government expects over 27,000 jobs to be directly created & safeguarded, with close to a further 100,000 jobs in associated supply chains and local economies. The second round of the fund has opened to bids with a closing date of noon on 1 July 2011.  This round will aim to allocate the remainder of the fund (nearly £1bn).
 
To promote this round of the fund and encourage quality bids that meet the objectives & criteria, there will be a series of road shows across England to speak with businesses & organisations with an interest in submitting a bid to advise them on all aspects of the fund.  A schedule of the road shows will be available in due course.
Press release & links ~ Regional Growth Fund
 
STFC: Bug battling firm Byotrol, which researched & developed its revolutionary hygiene technology at STFC's Innovations Technology Centre (I-TAC), has worked with McBrides, Europe's leading provider of Private Label Household products, to launch a ground-breaking cleaning spray for Tesco.
 
Byotrol's patented technology, which is used in wipes, sprays & mousses to combat the spread of viruses & superbugs, including MRSA, is the main bacteria-killing ingredient in Tesco's own-brand multi-surface spray.  In contrast to old technologies Byotrol contains no alcohol or bleach so is gentler on skin & the environment and is significantly longer lasting than traditional (but harsher) cleaning products currently on the market.
 
Byotrol has also created a global first in the world of hygiene; an alcohol-free hand wash that is more effective than the current NHS standard alcohol cleaner and is also Halal certified.
Press release ~ Byotrol ~ STFC's Innovations Technology Centre (I-TAC)
 
DH: Healthcare staff in prisons will be better placed to tackle the challenging health needs of prisoners as a result of a national prison healthcare IT system now installed in all prisons & young offender institutions across England.
 
Prisoners will also benefit from improved continuity of care as they move between prisons, with medical records immediately & securely transferred from one prison to another.  And staff are having to spend less time on administrative tasks – freeing up their time to concentrate on patient care.
Press release ~ SystmOne Prison
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